Saturday, February 29, 2020

His Beauty Reigns

Seasons: God loves to remind us that Christian growth is in season. The tree planted by the rivers of water brings forth its fruit in season. The branches of the True Vine blossom and bear fruit in their season. I am reminded of that often here at The Acres. At the end of winter the snowdrops and crocus and orchard iris bloom--it's their season. In April the daffodils and tulips bloom--it's their season. In May it's the iris. In June it's the lilies. In July the hibiscus. August--phlox time. September brings the asters and goldenrod to the wild area. October--the monk's hood. There will be no crocus or monk's hood in May. No tulips in July or August or September. Everything in God's world has its season to beautify His Creation. His timing is perfect. All year long His beauty reigns.
Soils. And different flowers and trees have "their" soils as well. Some like the bog--wet and mushy. Some like the dry slopes leading down to the Wild Area. Some like sandy soil. Some flourish in the rich soil I bring home from the garden shop to fill the beds. Each one has a soil it loves in order to flourish as beautifully as God intended. All year long His beauty reigns.
Places. And flowers have different places there they thrive. Some need full sun. Some like morning sun. Some like the shade of my trees. Some bloom in dappled places. Plant them in the right place, and their beauty shines forth--in its season. Plant them somewhere else--not so much. All year long, every place you look, His beauty reigns. Even in the winter, the conifers radiate His beauty.
So often we forget that the same is true of us. Our growth is in season. He sends the winter to give us rest. He sends the early rains and the latter rains. He sends the heat of the summer sun. He plants us all in the places where we will flourish, blossom, bloom, bring forth fruit. No one is blooming or bringing forth fruit all the time. Growth is a process. We need time to rest, time to mature, time to be enriched, time to sink our roots deeper into the soil where He has planted us, to flourish in the place where He has put us down to beautify His kingdom. Though it may seem at times that we are stagnant, we are not. He's preparing us for our season. Though it may seem at times that we must be in the wrong place because nothing seems to be happening. He is allowing us to sink our roots deeper into the soil of our calling. Though it may seem at times that others are more "beautiful" than we are. Not true. The iris will never bloom in the darkness of the trees. But, Oh, how beautiful are the woodland plants who call the woods their home--their place. Strikingly gorgeous in the shadows where they are designed to blossom, bring forth fruit, radiate His glory. Be content, send your roots deeper and deeper into His Word, stay where you are, be faithful to your calling. Then, at the right time, in the right place, you will bring forth much fruit--become more and more like the Master Gardener. Yes, in His timing, in the soil where He has planted you, in the place of your calling, you will reflect His wisdom, bring forth the fruit of the Spirit. He is always working--whether you sense it or not--to fill you with more of His grace, more of His truth, in order that you might draw attention to His glory in the place He needs you to be. All year long and in every place, His beauty reigns--through you.

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